DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/16/2023, 4/26/2023 was filed is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Invention I in the reply filed on 11/28/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 11/28/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hu (US 2018/0019234; hereinafter Hu).
Regarding claim 1, Fig 13 E of Hu discloses a light-emitting device, comprising:
a circuit substrate (1301; Fig 13E; ¶ [0097]);
a plurality of light-emitting elements (1309a/1309b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) disposed over the circuit substrate (1301; Fig 13E; ¶ [0097]);
a plurality of metal patterns (1303a/1303b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0097]) disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements (1309a/1309b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) and the circuit substrate (1301; Fig 13E; ¶ [0097]) respectively;
a plurality of connectors (1305a/1305b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements (1309a/1309b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) and the plurality of metal patterns (1303a/1303b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0097]) respectively; and
a plurality of eutectic patterns (1304a/1304b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0098]) disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements (1309a/1309b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) and the plurality of connectors (1305a/1305b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) respectively,
wherein a first spacing (Space from bottom of layer 1307a to the circuit substrate; Fig 13D) exists between a first light-emitting element (1309a; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) of the plurality of light-emitting elements and the circuit substrate, a second spacing (Space from bottom of layer 1307b to the circuit substrate; Fig 13D) exits between a second light-emitting element (1309b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0100]) of the plurality of light-emitting elements and the circuit substrate and a difference (Fig 13E) between the first spacing and the second spacing is equal to a thickness of the eutectic pattern (1304a/1304b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 3, Fig 13E of Hu discloses the connector (1305a/1305b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) comprises silver (¶ [0038]).
Regarding claim 4, Fig 13E of Hu discloses the plurality of connectors (1305a/1305b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) has different thicknesses (Fig 13E).
Regarding claim 5, Fig 13E of Hu discloses the connector (1305a; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) electrically connected to the first light-emitting element has a first thickness (Fig 13E), the connector (1305b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0099]) electrically connected to the second light-emitting element has a second thickness (Fig 13E) and a different between the first thickness and the second thickness is equal to the thickness of the eutectic pattern (Fig 13E).
Regarding claim 6, Fig 13E of Hu discloses the plurality of eutectic patterns (1304a/1304b; Fig 13E; ¶ [0098]) has substantially the same thicknesses (Fig 13E).
Claim(s) 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chae et al (US 2023/0081487; hereinafter Chae).
Regarding claim 9, Fig 8 of Chae discloses a light emitting device comprising:
a circuit substrate (110; Fig 8; ¶ [0067]);
a plurality of light-emitting elements (100a/100; Fig 8; ¶ [0117]) disposed over the circuit substrate;
a plurality of connectors (220a/220/221a; Fig 8; ¶ [0118]) disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements (100a/100; Fig 8; ¶ [0117]) and circuit substrate (110; Fig 8; ¶ [0067]) respectively; and
a plurality of eutectic patterns (107a; Fig 8; ¶ [0119]) disposed between the plurality of light-emitting elements and the plurality of connectors respectively;
wherein a first connector (220a; Fig 8; ¶ [0123]) of the plurality of connectors (220a/220/221a; Fig 8; ¶ [0118]) is disposed between a first light-emitting element (100a; Fig 8) of the plurality of light-emitting elements and circuit substrate (110; Fig 8; ¶ [0067]), a second connector (220/221a; Fig 8) of the plurality of connectors is disposed between a second light emitting element (100; Fig 8) of the plurality of light-emitting elements a circuit substrate and a thickness (220a; Fig 8) of the first connector (220a; Fig 8) is equal to a sum of a thickness of the eutectic pattern (107a; Fig 8) and a thickness of the second connector (220/221a; Fig 8). (Thickness of barrier layer 107a is same as the thickness of barrier layer 121b; therefore the thickness of second connector plus eutectic pattern is same thickness of first connector).
Regarding claim 10, Fig 8 of Chae discloses the eutectic pattern (107a; Fig 8; ¶ [0119]) includes a material of an electrode of the light emitting element and a material of the connector (¶ [0135]).
Regarding claim 11, Fig 8 of Chae discloses a plurality of metal patterns (115; Fig 8; ¶ [0071]) disposed between the plurality of connectors (220a/220/221a; Fig 8; ¶ [0118]) and the circuit substrate (110; Fig 8; ¶ [0067]) respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (US 2018/0019234; hereinafter Hu) in view of Wang et al (US 2023/0010707; hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 2, Fig 13 E of Hu discloses the metal pattern comprises a conductive material (¶ [0038]).
However Hu does not expressly disclose the metal pattern or conductive pad comprises titanium, molybdenum or copper.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang discloses a conductive pad comprising metal can comprise copper (¶ [0024]).
Accordingly it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention such that the metal pattern comprising the materials as claimed as these are well-known and suitable metal materials known in the art for forming conductive pads. (¶ [0024])
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (US 2018/0019234; hereinafter Hu).
Regarding claim 7, Hu does not expressly discloses the thickness of the eutectic pattern ranges from 0.4 µm to 0.7 µm.
However, the ordinary artisan would have recognized the thickness of the eutectic pattern to be a result effective variable affecting connectivity or preventing short circuits between two adjacent conductive pads. Thus, it would have been obvious to vary thickness within the claimed range, since optimum or workable ranges of such variables are discoverable through routine experimentation. see MPEP 2144.05 II.B
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (US 2018/0019234; hereinafter Hu) in view of Chae et al (US 2023/0081487; hereinafter Chae).
Regarding claim 8, Hu does not expressly disclose a plurality of pads disposed between the plurality of metal patterns and the circuit substrate respectively.
In the same field of endeavor, Fig 8 of Chae discloses forming a plurality of pads (115; Fig 8; ¶ [0068]) on a circuit substrate (110; Fig 8; ¶ [0068]).
Accordingly it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention such that the plurality pads are formed on the circuit substrate in order to allow electrical connection to the circuit substrate (¶ [0068]).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chae et al (US 2023/0081487; hereinafter Chae) in view of Shi et al (US 2013/0280904; hereinafter Shi).
Regarding claim 12, Chae discloses the metal pattern (115; Fig 8; ¶ [0071]) comprises Au (¶ [0071]).
However Chae does not expressly disclose the metal pattern has a thickness ranging from 300 Å to 1000 Å.
In the same field of endeavor, Shi discloses a conductive pad comprises Au can have thickness of 500 Å (¶ [0064]).
Accordingly it would have been obvious to the person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention such that the metal pattern has a thickness within the claimed range for the purpose of forming the bonding pads of suitable thickness which is known in the art in order to establish the electrical connections (¶ [0064]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Chi et al (US 2023/0009719)
Lim et al (US 2022/0223774)
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/RATISHA MEHTA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817